Canada become first co-hosts eliminated as Morocco storm into World Cup quarter-finals

Canada became the first of the 2026 World Cup co-hosts to be knocked out of the tournament, after a 3-0 defeat to Morocco in Houston. Azzedine Ounahi scored twice as Morocco turned on the style in the second half to reach successive World Cup quarter-finals. Morocco had narrowly overcome the Netherlands to reach the last 16, while Canada beat South Africa. The defeat means Canada exit on home soil, the first co-host to fall. Morocco will now face the winner of France against Paraguay in the quarter-finals. The three-letter abbreviation 'MAR' displayed on scoreboards originates from the French translation 'Maroc', a reflection of FIFA's administrative history deeply intertwined with the French language.